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Flyer calls on DWP employees to say “No”

Some Department of Water and Power employees aren’t happy with City Hall.

Flyers went up last week in the hallways of the utility’s downtown headquarters. The flyer reads: “Vote No By September 18! It’s not just going to affect future employees. It will hurt us all! We’ve taken cuts before, and now they want more. Stand for something or fall for everything.”

At least one Twitter user also sent out the mailer. On Friday, user Steve B wrote: “@ericgarcetti @LADWP @lacitycouncil leave us alone!!!”

The flyer could be connected to new employee contract recently proposed by Mayor Eric Garcetti, the City Council and the DWP’s union, although that link couldn’t immediately be verified.

Garcetti, the City Council, and DWP union leader Brian D’Arcy last month agreed to the new contract, which will cover about 8,200 employees at the utility. Among other provisions, the proposed deal freezes wage increases for three years, allows a salary increase in 2016, and lowers starting salaries for some future workers.

The deal has to be ratified by DWP union members.

In an interview Monday, spokesman Joseph Ramallo said the flyers were removed because the signs violate DWP employee conduct rules.

The DWP’s Labor Relations department sent out an email last week reminding employees of proper conduct during the collective bargaining process, Ramallo said. The email was sent out before the signs appeared, he said.

With the average DWP salary clocking in at only $103,000 per year, I can feel the pain of these aggrieved, starving workers.

How bad is it? The median weight of DWP employees has cratered from 327lb in 2011 to under 310 pounds, today. Granted, with Dunkin Donuts preparing to enter the SoCal market, weights may soon increase but…